Innovation in low carbon design and manufacturability.
This report examines how to optimize cable connection options for FOW, and considers the challenges for the integration to the electrical grid infrastructure. The new target set by the Energy Security Strategy 2022 for offshore wind (OSW) in the UK is to achieve deployment of 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030, where 5 GW could come from FOW in deeper seas. In addition, within the
energy mix is the ambition set by The Crown Estate to have 4 GW of FOW by 2035 in the Celtic Sea.
This report focuses primarily on wet mate high-voltage (HV) power connectors and recognises that existing cable array designs tend to be arranged in a ring or connected in parallel to provide redundancy at wind farms. One of the most common cable solutions for floating structures are lazy wave, consisting of two double-armour cable sections and an intermediate section with buoyancy
elements. By using wet mate connectors this could support FOW as a rapid means of disconnecting/connecting inter array cables. This option reduces dynamic loading, reducing critical time the device is out of service, and cost effective to support a shore maintenance regime.